Defense has to dig in for Wildcats

DURHAM — With most of the skill-position players back on offense, the University of New Hampshire football team will probably put up points this season no matter who's playing quarterback.

Preventing them, however, is the bigger issue. The Wildcats return seven starters from a unit that ranked last in the Colonial Athletic Association in four major defensive categories last year.

"One of the first things the coaches did was give us some stats on missed tackles and big plays," said senior linebacker Alan Buzbee. "They directly correlated to scoring points and extra yards after contact. It's something we've got to work on."

They spent a good deal of time in practice hustling to the ball and wrapping up once they got there. Buzbee will anchor the defense along with sidekick Matt Evans, who won the Buck Buchanan Award last season as the nation's top defensive player at the FCS level.

UNH, which opens Thursday at Holy Cross, isn't built to be a shut-down defense, but the Wildcats have built a reputation in recent years for gang-tacking and creating turnovers.

"I think the whole thing about collective defense is how you get to the ball and how you tackle when you get there," said coach Sean McDonnell. "It's those areas we have to improve upon."

Although they led the league in interceptions last season with 20, they recovered just eight fumbles and were minus-2 in turnover margin. Only two teams in the CAA had fewer fumble recoveries in 2011.

The Wildcats yielded 428.2 yards per game in 2011, including 246.7 passing and 181.6 rushing, and gave up 31.6 points per contest.

"We look at those numbers," Buzbee said. "It's embarrassing to be last in the league in those statistics. It's not good. You don't want to see yourself there. You definitely want to improve."

Despite the porous defense, UNH made the NCAA playoffs for the eighth year in a row, the longest active streak in the country.

Free safety Chris Beranger was second on the team in tackles last year and cornerback Chris Houston led the Wildcats with six interceptions. Both are entering their junior seasons.

"Now that we have experience I think it's going to be a little bit different," Beranger said. "We've got guys that know what they're doing out there. We've got to be patient with our eyes. We can't jump stuff. We've got to wait and see what's going to happen and be ready for it."

"I think a lot of it was inexperience and guys not knowing what to do," Buzbee said. "We've got a veteran group of guys back."

Manny Asam returns in the secondary, which is bolstered by the addition of Dontra Peters, who could play both ways this season, but is expected to be used primarily on defense against Holy Cross.

The senior co-captain led the Wildcats in rushing the past two years and came to UNH as a cornerback before being switched to offense to fill a need.

Peters was second in the CAA last year in all-purpose yards with 1,533.

"He's athletic and he's got a great sense for the football," McDonnell said. "If he plays the way he's practiced, I think we'll be OK."

With the emergence of running backs Chris Setian, Nico Steriti and Jimmy Owens operating behind a veteran offensive line, anchored by left tackle Seamus O'Neill, Peters might be needed more on defense this year than offense.

With Peters out with an injury, Steriti had a breakout performance against Maine last year, rushing for 150 yards and a touchdown.

Senior tackle Jared Smith is expected to anchor the defensive line. Smith, who is on the watch list for presitigious Senior Bowl, had 43 tackles last season, including 5.5 for a loss and 2.5 sacks. He also forced a fumble and blocked a kick.

"This is huge for him to take the next step in his progression, his development, to become the leader and the mainstay in the inside," McDonnell said. "He's aware of it. I think he's looking to embrace that role."

The Wildcats are counting on the D-line to stop the run and keep blockers off Evans and Buzbee.

"They're got to be able to get to the ball," McDonnell said, "and they've got to be kept clean by the defensive line. Then we've got to tackle when we get there."

"They're the key to our success," Evans said of the defensive line. "When they play in the right gaps and they're making it (tough) on the offensive linemen, it just gives us more room to roam around. It's a credit to them when we're able to make plays."

The biggest challenge on offense is replacing quarterback Kevin Decker, who was named CAA offensive player of the year in his only year as the full-time starter.

Redshirt freshman Sean Goldrich, who will be making his college debut Thursday, will have plenty of weapons to work with.

"You look at when we've been successful, whether it's on the offensive or defensive side of the ball, we either created a turnover or kept the ball in our hands," McDonnell said. "Especially with a young quarterback, it's important he understands how important that is, not trying to make anything happen, just let things come to him."

The Wildcats return four of their top five rushers and five of their top sx receivers led by senior Joey Orlando and sophomore R.J. Harris, who combined for 84 catches, 1,393 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Five of junior Justin Mello's 23 receptions went for scores, including two in the playoff game at Montana State. The second catch with six seconds remaining pulled the Wildcats within reach of a tie, 26-25, only to miss the extra point.

"It was unbelievable," Mello said. "You don't see that too often. It definitely lingers. You don't want it to end that way, but you've got to find a way to put it behind you."

"It leaves a bad taste in you mouth when you lose by a point," said offensive guard Chris Zarkoskie. "We put in a lot of time and effort and to lose like that is tough. It fuels you."

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